At a COVID-safe environment attended by a number of operations managers, the 14 successful candidates from quarrying company Stevin Rock and explosives company Arabian Explosives were awarded with certificates from Julian Smallshaw, Head of Education and Standards at IQ.

Smallshaw said: "IQ prides itself on delivering globally recognised training, education, and qualifications to its members. Ensuring good practice in people and site management provides a safer and more efficient workforce, in addition to teams who can perform to the technical and competence requirements of the business.

"This awards event is really something to celebrate in a year where very little has been able to go ahead. I'm delighted that these individuals have been awarded the Level 3 ILM Certificate. They've all worked extremely hard, managing the completion of assignments alongside a full-time job."

Boyd Skeggs, administration manager, Stevin Rock, said: "We're committed to the continuous improvement of our employees' quarrying industry skills and knowledge through education and training. Congratulations to all of the successful candidates."

The Level 3 Certificate in Leadership and Management delivered by IQ has been developed to provide an internationally recognised qualification with a pathway to assist learners to develop skills and techniques to effectively lead, supervise and manage workplace behaviour. It is aimed at managers and supervisors looking to develop their leadership and management skills, as well as an opportunity for learners in office-based roles to develop a greater understanding of the industry. While the L3 ILM blended-learning course is predominantly done online, as part of the programme Smallshaw also gives one-to-one tutorials.